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Gattaca: The future is now.

Ten years ago, things were a bit different. Jude Law was not a star. Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman weren't yet an item, let alone divorced with two kids. Andrew Niccol was an unknown writer/director without a movie credit to his name.

Then there was the field of genetics—making bold promises and some early successes, but misunderstood.

Into this reality was released Gattaca, the acclaimed science fiction film that celebrated its decade anniversary on Oct. 26. This story of prejudice, indomitable human spirit and the downside of genetic research takes place in a future where detailed genetic information is used to determine careers, and parents who can afford it eschew "God births" in favor of offspring genetically engineered to be as perfect as possible.

Gattaca was a critics' darling that tanked at the box office. Its impact, however, was felt beyond what many blockbusters inspire. It crystallized the debate over tampering with the stuff of life.

As if on cue, just before Gattaca celebrated its 10th birthday, renowned genetic researcher Dr. J. Craig Venter announced he had sequenced his own genome—his complete diploid DNA (taken from both chromosomes)—and demonstrated the parts of the code that pointed to his encoded traits. Venter's genes reveal that he has wet ear wax, blue eyes (he probably knew that) and predispositions to alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease and antisocial conduct. Venter's breakthrough is a huge step toward understanding what effects individual genes manifest, and how they interact with each other. Once better understood, that information could help doctors identify risk factors in people and improve treatment. It could also be used by insurance companies to determine rates and coverage; employers to determine job eligibility. Potential spouses could have their fiance's DNA sequenced to see what their kids might be in for.

Dr. Jim Noonan, an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine's Genetics Department, is familiar with the movie. He shares the ethical concerns raised, but points out something the public tends to skip over. "The problem with the movie Gattaca is that it's assumed that these are guaranteed diseases and conditions, whereas that's not the case." According to Noonan, the associated risks for these genetic indicators "aren't 50 percent—they're more like 5 percent." Still, he worries the information could be used irresponsibly, even discriminatorily.

"Everyone has this on their radar," says Dr. Bill Hurlbut, a Stanford University professor of neurology and a member of the President's Council on Bioethics. Hurlbut says scientists recognize these issues must be grappled with, and soon. As the technology progresses, mapping of peoples' genomes will become relatively commonplace and cheap. "It cost Venter somewhere around $300 million to map his genome. Within five years or so we'll be able to do the same thing for around $1,000." Hurlbut also speculates that genomes on demand and pre-designed genomes will someday become available—if regulation doesn't step in first. "It needs to be governed," he emphasizes.

What both Noonan and Hurlbut caution against is assuming the technology is further along than it is. They warn that while these developments are exciting and full of potential, the complexity of the genome—which is six billion characters long—will not be fully grasped for some time. "We're missing a detailed understanding" of what it all means, says Noonan. "We need to look at thousands more people."

Welcome or not, the concerns of Gattaca's citizens will soon be ours. Like all great works of science fiction, Gattaca told a fundamental human story while anticipating a future that's rapidly approaching.

editor@newhavenadvocate.com

Big Deal

Mark your calendars for upcoming concerts.

November 10

Deborah Harry at Foxwoods. Harry hits Foxwoods on her latest midlife crisis tour, after approving Kirsten Dunst to portray her in the upcoming Michel Gondry biopic.

Fall Out Boy at Bridgeport Arena at Harbor Yard. Touring in support of their new album "Infinity on High," and latest single, "I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me + You)..." If a nuclear holocaust is inevitable, then I hope their band name goes well tested.

November 30

George Carlin at Chevrolet Theatre. "And I'm getting really sick of guys named Todd. What happened? Todd. And Cody, and Dillon, and Cameron, and Tucker. Hi Tucker, i'm Todd. Hi Todd, i'm Tucker. Fuck Tucker, Tucker sucks. And, fuck Tucker's friend Kyle. Thats another soft name for a boy. Kyle." Touche, George.

Larry the Cable Guy at Mohegan Sun. "Git-R-Done! Git-R-Dumb! Git-N-Dumber!"

—Kyle MacKinnel